hyok

Fascinating. I'm beginning to love your threads, Stig. when I think back to the moments when I felt most inspired, I recall feeling as if there was so much to live for that even eternity was not enough to get it done

This forum is a great support group. It's why I come. Well, not "come", but ya know.

Thank you everyone for your insight and perspective. And thank you Ya_Mu for your kind words. I think i've figured it out.

Personally i was cracking up while writing that response to Joe, but of course, as i should have guessed, he wasn't laughing nor were some of you. Threads dead.

Vajrasattva, YaMu, i know both of you are teachers so I offer my respects first hand, but I would like to interject your points with what seems like valid alternative points. On the issue of semen retention, Gopi Krishna and JJ Semple have both insisted that retention, and even long-term retention may be necessary for certain practitioners under certain conditions. Going back to part of your original quote -- "You are as powerful as you give yourself permission to be." I actually seem to understand the depths of what it means. But be that as it may, could retention or posture be in-and-of-itself a lesson placed upon the practitioner? I am confused and would very much appreciate some enlightenment on this issue. Thank you.

I honestly think it's the only way to know for sure. Otherwise the discerning of mind creations would have to be placed on check. For me, it's been a total "WINGING IT" attitude. I've dabbled with a lot and only when experience revealed itself would I accept it as part of some "system" for me, as well as something similar that others have experienced. Basically i think it comes down to this -- we don't know who we are yet. We don't know what our connections are and what relationships we have within the universe. From what I gather, this is what we're trying to discover, so I would surmise that intuitively we sorta know what's good for us. Some how or another it seaps into our levels of attraction towards those sources. Lastly, I think many things are different now - i.e. the rules of the past still apply, but it seems like things are bending to accomodate time. I dunno.

so what exactly is an "adult glove"? Please, i would really really like to know your definition of "adult glove". Hey, check it out, i did a google image search of "adult glove" and guess what it turned up? My, my, it's Anakin Skywalker's glove - the one he had to put on his mechanical arm after he turned into Darth Vader and joined the dark side. The second image that turned up for "adult glove", leads to a dungeon with leather straps and dildos.

I apologize for freaking out on you Mikaelz. You certainly did not deserve the FIRE AND BLOOD spewing out of my fingertips. Regardless, please know that the intent behind my expression was not malicious. That said, I actually think you're a nice, bright fella, and sometimes I actually learn from your posts (when they're not directed at me). But like Chicultivation says, ya just gotta word it a little differently. That is EXACTLY what the issue is about. Show just a little more respect and humility towards the recipient of your expression and you will notice a cournicopia of positive reactions towards that. It's human nature, my friend.

Alright, Fine you can have your opinions on MJ and its effects on practitioners. Everyone will have an opinion and nobody will know for sure about anything because everyone is themselves and reacts differently. So -- truth -- NONE OF US KNOW FOR SURE. MJ Case - settled. BTW - what is this ceiling? Please explain in detail! But if we look deeper within the responses that pattern themselves behind Mikaelz expressions, (which joe_blast seems to be oblivious of), we can see that Mikaelz ENJOYS communicating information in a way where HE FEELS he's better than the other person. Like he's above that person. This is called "subtle arrogance" Notice the pattern, "Don't take it personally...", "no offense...", "why do you take it so personally..." Hey jerk, I AM A PERSON with feelings and so is everyone else on this board, so naturally people take things personally when you're talking about them. Everyone is like this. Nobody is not like this. Mikaelz, i'm pleading with you -- please try to understand that people DO take things personally and that you CAN fashion your statements in a way that is more FRIENDLY and SUGGESTIVE instead of indoctrining shiet as if you're an absolute authority. (PS - personally i could care less if you improve yourself, but at this point it's effecting me and my mood so i feel compelled to correct your MISTAKES, because that's what they are -- MISTAKES.) (PPS - if it makes you feel any better, Mikaelz, i would rather be trapped on an island with you than your Buddhist friend who trolls this site)

seriously dude, what compells you to say things like this? Do you think I actually listen to you?

Oh great. MAN! Why can't anything be EASY? I swear, practice just gets more and more difficult as it progresses! In the immortal words of Cypher, "why O why didn't i take the BLUE PILL!" (just kidding btw. it's all worth it! or at least it better be.)

There's nothing wrong with smoking pot to facilitate meditation. Problems only arise when one cannot achieve heights of meditative states without it. But for the most part, IMHO, The Tao is totally cool with MJ.

Thank you for this.

my my. Look who's the hypersensitive biatch. Sorry for offending your satin soul.

Tell me, how old are you?

There is A LOT of confusion about retention. Too much, I think. It would be nice if someone who really knew would explain it all. I am not that person.

the concept of virtue has been on my mind lately, and I am thinking that, within the Tao, the realization of what is perceived as virtuous is wholly grounded on the idea of enduring. The Tao must endure and all else becomes meaningless in the face of this - even the concept of virtue. So yes, virtue without "virtue" is very, very important in the scheme of things. Personal virtue in its energetic/karmic effects on others must be critically analyzed by the adept to achieve internal balance.

Has any Bum with Auric-vision ever seen a person that seemed enlightened? Ya know, golden halo around the head, 3rd eye spinning, etc... ?

Good thread cuz i'm sure everyone deal with this on some level all the time. For me it's ants and I agree with the "your space" opinion. Whatever enters my space and is disruptive will be dealt with as peacefully as possible. I figure it's like this -- we can't spend half our day placing bugs in containers and releasing them outdoors. Or maybe we can, i don't know. But I don't want to cuz I would rather get things done in an orderly fashion.

I think Taoism is as feminine as a practice can get. What I mean is, Buddhism may be "gay" in the sense that it's kinda ghey. But Taoist practices are qualitatively more feminine in its essence - i.e. impregnating ourselves to develop an immortal fetus. The whole process is Yin turning into Yang, but for the most part its procedure is Yin-based. At least that's how I see it.

Dr Marten's must have figured out that the company won't be around for much longer.

If you have questions that can be answered in a "yes" or "no" manner, try asking your Kundalini. It is intelligent.

If i took a fine balance of what I consider to be an idealistic and a pessimistic outlook on the near future, I would arrive at your scenario. Although ruling out a dimensional shift is about as useful as ruling out magical beans.... but magic beans do exist!

"It is necessary to understand that I Am, In order that I may know that I Am Not, So that, at last, I may realize that, I Am Not, therefore I Am." - Ask the Awakened by Wei Wu Wei Destroy the ego to maintain the ego! YESSSS!

My curiosities pertaining to the lasting qualities of Ego/personality are largely tied to the concept of the Shen Spirit - or the Spirit Sage, which, by all accounts of Taoist philosophy and practice, seems to be the state of being all of us are striving for. What is the Shen Spirit or Spirit Sage, exactly?